As the lay custodian of the sacred Tooth Relic, it can be assured that there is no
politics involved in the office of the Diyawadana Nilame. The JVP leadership has absolute
freedom to enter the portals of this venerated place but they are reluctant to do so
because their conscience prevents them from doing so, Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan
Wijeyeratne said.

Addressing a media conference to brief journalists about the JVPs denial of the
attack on the Sri Dalada Maligawa during the insurgency, the Diyawadana Nilame said the
JVP leadership can never deny the fact that it was responsible for the attack on the
Maligawa using firearms on February 8, 1989.

JVPs Wimal Weerawansa, during a chat show on television, denied the JVP attacked
the Maligawa.

There was blood-letting at the Sri Dalada Maligawa as five persons were killed in
the JVP attack, he recalled.

The JVP leadership has the freedom to visit this sacred place to pay homage to the
Tooth Relic. They also have the freedom to confess and say sorry, instead of
denying the offence. The JVP bullet marks are still found on the granite pillars of the
Maligawa, Wijeyeratne said.

He said that politicians enter the Maligawa only to pay homage and not to talk politics
with the officials. But they go to the Mahanayake Theras seeking their blessings for
success, but talk politics.

Accordingly, the JVP leadership may not meet me in the Maligawa because I have
nothing to do with politics. But the JVP leaders should not try to hide facts known to the
entire world, the Diyawadana Nilame said.